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It does have a totally unexpected and user-unfriendly behavior for whatever reasons: the ignore rules are not synchronized. [0] [0]: https://docs.syncthing.net
by j1elo 5y ago
It does have a totally unexpected and user-unfriendly behavior for whatever reasons: the ignore rules are not synchronized. [0]
[0]: https://docs.syncthing.net/users/ignoring.html https://docs.syncthing.net/users/ignoring.html
> The .stignore file itself will never be synced to other devices, although it can #include files that are synchronized between devices.
So you might have a synced work folder, where some large but unimportant throwaway files will be created on Host A, you exclude them to avoid having them replicated when syncing to your Host B (and C, D, E, ...). But then, ignore rules don't sync so... surprise! those throwaway files when generated in the other Hosts will show up in A and everywhere else.
Am I being too unreasonable here? Yes, you can sync a common ignore file and #include that everywhere. But the idealistic way I see computing, that's a totally superfluous step that users should not even have to worry about doing. The kind of subtle technical detail that makes me agree with the phrase "too complex, unpolished and confusing".
Still, I use Syncthing every day. I think it's great. But I'm a developer and Git taught me ways about the logic and behavior of writing ignore files; it's not an apt solution for "less able, cognitively impaired, or perhaps very young" people.
The issue seems to be recognized [1]. But what can I say? the improvement proposal was outlined in 2015 and it's still unresolved 6 years later [2]. I wouldn't hope that it will get much more approachable for less technical people anytime soon.
[1]: https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing/issues/2353 https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing/issues/2353
[2]: https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing/issues/2491 https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing/issues/2491
- cybernautique 5y agoI actually didn't know about this, nor largely about ignore functionality. Thank you for the write-up, it definitely gives me more appreciation for what the previous contributor meant.